Milk Maiden
by Izabella the Se7enth
Summary: Deep is the mark that embeds itself in her chest. But she smiles, for deeper is the mark that he hast cast upon her. For StormDragon666's oneshot contest


Beautiful pink locks that spill over the end of her chair,

how serenely you mix with her beautiful scarlet blood.

The dagger plunged so compellingly in the valley of her breasts.

But not within her heart,

for that is where _he_ resides.

Always. Forever.

As he lives and breathes, so too does her heart ache for his embrace.

But oh, the pain, which strikes her every day.

Unable to steal his love.

Unable to make him turn.

Unable to force him to look solely at her.

How could she possibly she bare it?

So with a resolve uncharacteristically grim, she takes her life.

Deep.

Deep is the mark that embeds itself in her chest.

But she smiles, for deeper is the mark that he hast cast upon her.

Slowly, as if the sands of time pitied the lovely flower,

her hands fell to her sides, grasping the stale air.

For what? She knows not herself.

But he storms into her room,

taking her hand in his, and holds fast,

weeping tears of longing for his dearly beloved.

She cries to, but not of her death.

She cries for his grieving.

And she cries for his sadness.

And she cries for him.

"**Sakura!"**

**X**

**XX**

**X**

"On a lone cattle ranch atop Toad's hill lived a lovely young milk maiden. Her beauty was known throughout the village of Leaf as that of an angel, her disposition as sweet as the **strawberry** patch she tended so fondly to."

"That's gross mommy! I'm a boy! And Tachi-nii said boys don't like pretty stuff. Girls do," Sasuke called out.

His mother laughed and stoked his head lovingly. "It's all part of the story, sweetie. You're going to have to listen if you want me to continue. Now, where was I…? She had hair of pink, as soft as silk, and eyes of jade that sparkled when she laughed. They say that her voice sounded like wind chimes."

Sasuke's eyes widened in wonder. His mother smiled, "Not _real_ wind chimes, sweetie," she clarified, "It means her voice was very pretty." "Oh."

"One day, a village girl, jealous of her beauty, asked the town's witch to cast a spell on her. 'Make her ugly,' she demanded.

"The witch said, 'I can only turn those with an ugly heart into ugly creatures. She is too beautiful. You must taint her.'"

"Mommy what does taint mean?" Sasuke stopped her again.

She shook her head at his curiosity. "They wanted her to become ugly on the inside."

Sasuke gasped, "How are they going to do that? Making her insides ugly…" he made a face.

Makoto laughed and patted his head again.

"They were going to make her think about bad things. They wanted her to be a bad girl."

"Oh."

"The village girl traveled up the hill and met with the pink-haired angel. True to the rumors, she was breathtaking. That only seemed to anger her more.

"But, conniving and deceitful, she smiled kindly and asked if she wanted to become friends."

"Mommy? Why would the village girl ask her to be friends when she didn't like her?"

Makoto huffed and tucked him in tighter. "Sweetie, you have to listen to entire story first. Otherwise, of course it won't make sense."

Sasuke burrowed himself in his covers before murmuring and apology. He no longer interrupted his mother.

"The village girl pretended to befriend the charming milk maid. Every afternoon they would sit on Toad's hill and giggle like all girls do, making crowns of daisies and braiding each other's hair. The cunning woman grew more and more jealous of the one with both a beautiful body and soul. One day, as they watched the cows grazing in the meadow, she asked, 'Lovely maiden, best friend of my own, my closest confidant, my most loyal person, who is the man blessed enough to ensnare your heart?'

"The angel was surprised, but quietly admitted that she had fallen in love with the village blacksmith's apprentice. They had seen each other once before, when he had come to fix the stable doors.

"Village Girl, wicked and sly, returned to the town, and visited the blacksmith. She secretly began to seduce his young apprentice, slowly tricking him into loving her. And soon, they were married.

"Devastated by the news, the milk maiden fell into despair. She no longer went out and after a few days, she was found dead of a broken heart." Makoto smirked.

"That's what the legend says anyway.

"In another story, the milk maiden had not died, but simply disappeared, escaping the painful memories of her lost lover and her only friend's betrayal. Others say that she moved to a neighboring village called Wave and married a devoted husband whom she birthed a child with."

Makoto stood and gave a peck on her son's forehead. His brow wrinkled in puzzlement. "Is that it?"

She laughed. "Well it _is_ just an old fairytale. They're not always true, sweetie."

She flipped the lights off, wished him goodnight, and clicked the door shut behind her.

X

XX

X

Sasuke glared darkly at the crumpled piece of paper in his hand, ready to set the damn thing on fire.

Earlier that morning, after he'd woken up from a long and grueling night of business meetings, his damn _Father _thought it would be pretty _fucking_ _hilarious _to send him to a small _fucking_ town to meet with one of _his _fucking clients. As if that weren't enough, every hotel was booked (thanks to the damn Cherry Blossom Festival), so he'd have to stay in a fucking _village_ that was basically the fucking _suburb _of the fucking _suburbs_.

Damn his cheating old man.

"Mr. Uchiha sir. Mr. Uchiha sir!" someone called from the airport lines.

He turned.

A young man, no older than twenty-five, stood with a broad smile, holding up a sign that spelled Sasuke's surname in familiar kanji characters. He wore a black suit with his tie undone, casually hanging around his neck. Blonde spikes clashed oddly with the formal attire, as did the weird whisker-like scars on his cheeks.

Taking the silent acknowledgement as affirmation, the stranger hurriedly met with the brooding second son and bowed.

"Hello Mr. Uchiha sir, my name is Uzumaki Naruto. I am to escort you to the Leaf Village. Please, follow me," he greeted eagerly. He leaned forward, took Sasuke's bags and led them outside to where a black mustang was waiting.

Sasuke raised his eyebrow, clearly not expecting such a luxurious vehicle to be in the middle of nowhere. Naruto laughed sheepishly. "The boss sent it over last night for your use. Otherwise, the entire town is as poor as any other village."

He opened the door for him. "After you sir."

Without a word of thanks, Sasuke stepped into the back seat and listened to Naruto's ceaseless chatter, watching quietly as the city lights began to fade.

X

XX

X

The tiny red-bricked house he was given to stay at was quaint. Infinitely too small and bare for his refined tastes, but quaint.

There was a simple cot in the corner of the room, draped with two thin white sheets and a single pillow. A table-like stool was placed beside it, holding a porcelain decanter and basin meant to wash his face. Near the door was a wooden chair that had his dress shirt and tie thrown callously over the backrest, a tiny coal-burning stove pushed up against the wall just next to it.

The walls were white, the door was brown, and the floor was made of cemented stone. Simple.

And everything in the damned village was like it.

The streets were lined with rows of houses identical to his. Venders would peddle their wares on every corner and dozens of immensely plain citizens would roam the markets, buying just enough food to last the week.

Sasuke grouchily pulled his white dress shirt over his head and fixed himself in front of the small shaving mirror above the washbowl. Naruto had insisted that he'd give him a tour of the village, seeing as he'd be stuck in Leaf for over a month.

He paused in adjusting his belt.

Leaf. The name sounded familiar. Since his father had mentioned it (through that _God forsaken _note) he'd been… disturbed. Like an important memory, one he hadn't meant to forget, blurred over the years. Now it was undistinguishable among his abstract childhood.

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. It was unlikely he'd overheard it in a business meeting. Those greedy, fat old men saw no profit in the tiny village miles from any civilization. He certainly hadn't heard it in the news (what would reporters find interesting in a place like this?). It was just a nondescript village hidden by blinding waves of dewy grass and trees.

He growled at his reflection. He wanted to know damn it!

A soft knock brought him out of his thoughts. He stood and glanced curiously at the door. He'd thought Naruto would have been a bit brasher. A tiny knock hardly seemed the knucklehead's style. '_Perhaps the airhead isn't much of a morning person' _Sasuke smirked.

He walked forward and opened the door, expecting a loud and overexcited greeting.

To his surprise, he caught a whiff of sweet strawberries.

Sasuke tilted his head downwards to meet the newly arrived guest.

His breath hitched.

Standing on the front steps of his home stood a petite girl with odd pastel pink hair pulled into a high ponytail. It fluttered teasingly in the breeze, brushing along her bare neck and shoulders. She had bright green eyes that blended to dark forest green in the outer irises, framed by her long black eyelashes. Her cheeks were a warm peach, adding angelically to her unearthly glow and her plump lips were set in a friendly smile.

Shamelessly (as if he were even aware he was checking her out) Sasuke let his eyes travel to her peasant garb. The one thing that the women of Leaf had in common with the women of the city was their lewd and easy personalities, brazenly flaunting their boney figures and grotesque curves.

But this little innocent minx modestly covered herself from her creamy shoulders to her tiny ankles, arms hidden by delicate lacy sleeves. Her pink skirt stretched from her corset to the cobblestone street and swayed even with her smallest movement.

"Excuse me."

Startled, Sasuke looked up, attention now drawn to her musical voice.

She smiled even kinder and held out a carton of strawberries. "My name is Haruno Sakura. I heard rumors of a foreigner coming to visit our village, and while it isn't much, I thought I should come and greet you myself." She handed him the fruit and stooped down to pick up four small pitchers of milk.

"My father owned a farm at the edge of town and since his death I've been tending to it. His cattle get antsy when they don't get milked and I hardly need so much, so I deliver a few gallons to every house," she also handed it to him.

"Welcome to the Leaf Village, Mr. Foreigner," she chuckled, "I hope you'll find your stay pleasant. Please, feel free to ask about anything." She gave him a soft grin, bowed and retreated back down into the crowd of villagers.

Sasuke blinked, completely lost. Wait… what… had just happened? He had barely paid attention!

He felt like bashing his head against the wall. Her voice was just so goddamn pretty! And her eyes (oh god her _eyes_) felt like they were… _cleansing _him. As if he truly _was_ in the presence of an angel.

Sasuke wasn't a very religious man, but he had certainly begun to consider the existence of heavenly beings.

He inwardly berated himself. He honestly didn't know _what_ to make of the situation. A beautiful stranger (_Sakura_, he reminded himself) had shown up on his doorstep, given him a few welcoming gifts, and then up and _left._ What's more, he was _sad_ that she'd gone. Like he actually preferred the company of _another human being_. _Him! _The renowned "Lone Ice Block" of the Fire Country.

He scowled and shut the door, placing the strawberries on the chair beside the pints of cream and sat on his cot.

He himself had quite a few notches on his bedpost. Millions of women beg to bare his children every day, no matter their looks, age, or lineage.

He frowned even more.

That just made here even stranger. Since his arrival, every female he'd come across had practically thrown themselves at him. She on the other hand did nothing but smile and make polite small talk. She didn't give a single flirtatious eye bat, not a single suggestive wink, not even a hint of romantic interest!

Had the world finally gone mad?

Sasuke shook his head violently. _'Now I sound like a bloated narcissist.'_

A loud bang came from his window. He turned and grimaced with disgust. There stood his tour guide, excitedly pressing his face against the yellowing glass, saying words that he couldn't make out.

In that instant, Sasuke was overcome with an incredible wave of regret. How could he have possibly agreed to this?

X

XX

X

The streets were fairly lively. Merchants enthusiastically pitched to the random villagers browsing the town square. Children weaved around the throng of adults, laughing and chasing one another. Horses lined the sides of the buildings, tied up securely and grazing on dead grass placed in their troughs. Among the loud mass of bodies were two young men, one frantically leading them between stalls while the other followed leisurely behind.

"And that's Ichiraku! The old man immigrated from across the waterways and ended up settling here. His ramen is _amazing_." Sasuke watched in repulsion as Naruto began to drool.

The light smell of strawberries wafted through the air. Sasuke whipped around, searching the crowd with sharp eyes. He looked for any sign of pink, half expecting to see the beautiful maiden from that morning. Instead, his eyes landed on a fruit stand not ten feet away.

He did _not_ just feel disappointed.

"Naruto…" he said after a minute.

His friend's serious tone brought the blonde out of his imaginings. Sasuke was a bit of a prick (and that's saying something considering they'd only known each other for a day) but he knew that something was on his mind. He didn't sound as cold and detached as he had last night. Rather… he sounded puzzled. "Yes?"

Sasuke looked at him with serious eyes, debating whether or not to ask Naruto about the rosy vixen.

Curiosity won out.

"This morning… there was a girl… she gave me milk and said she lived on a farm at the edge of town."

"Oh! So you've met Sakura!" Naruto grinned. "Yeah, she's the town's personal angel. Everyone knows her. She helps out at the apothecary every Sunday, teaches at the schoolhouse, and gives milk to families without asking for any payment." He grinned cheekily.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Then how does she survive? She can't possibly-"

"Nearly everyone in town owes Sakura a favor. There's nothing she can't have, if she only asks for it," Naruto grumbled the last part. "She's too nice for her own good. The girl would rather starve to death than ask for food if she felt she was inconveniencing others."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "And what favor do you owe her?"

The blonde grinned broadly, pulling out a small, deformed ring hanging from a chain around his neck.

"She saw me."

X

XX

X

'_I've never seen so much stupidity in my entire life'_

The fields of barley did little to soothe Sasuke's anger. The meeting with three of his father's clients couldn't have gone any worse. They had absolutely no idea how to split their current boarders, they barely knew their company's profit ratios, they hadn't even written down any propositions for the others.

He understood why his father left _him _to clean up their mess. Crafty old bastard.

Sasuke sighed heavily, thinking about how to work out a proper deal that would benefit each side. The one thing at they all knew was what they wanted out of their contract.

"Every time you sigh, a piece of your happiness flies away," a voice giggled from behind him. "And by the look of it, you can't afford to lose anymore." Sasuke whipped around.

There stood the village angel, smiling kindly while carrying a bushel of strawberries in her smock-like apron.

She laughed again. "It seems like every time I see you you're annoyed by something. But I suppose I can't blame you. Naruto can be a lot to handle." Sakura smiled and walked around him. He followed her.

"So what is it this time? He invite you to a party with the guys?" Sasuke made a face. Spending a night with Naruto _and_ Kiba while that creep Jiraiya keeps talking about his "Bathroom Adventures" was the _last thing_ he felt like being roped into.

Sakura took a look at his face and started laughing loudly.

It snapped Sasuke out of his momentary horror and he growled at his own ridicule. "What's so funny?" he demanded.

She was still chuckling. "I apologize for my friends' over excitement, but you seem to be handling them just fine for a foreigner." Sakura paused, "Which reminds me, I never let you introduce yourself."

She turned her attention to him, staring expectantly into his eyes. He was frozen. They were so intense, so green. The word beauty didn't do it **justice**. It was unearthly, almost untouchable. It almost made him yearn.

"Uh…" came his intelligent reply.

'_Damn it!' _Sasuke swore, slapping himself inwardly. _'Speak clearly, imbecile! What is there worth stuttering over?'_

Sasuke straightened himself and tried again. "I arrived four days ago on a business trip for the Uchiha Corporation. My father-"

"I know why you're here Mr. Businessman," she glanced behind her shoulder. "What I'd like to know is your name."

Her teasing made Sasuke stop and curse at himself again. But before he could get far, Sakura turned around and quickly popped a clean strawberry into his mouth.

She used his startled expression to her advantage.

"Well then, if it takes that much effort to introduce yourself, I guess I don't really need to know your life's story," she smiled warmly. "But I'll have to give you a nickname, Queenie." She grinned devilishly.

Sasuke scowled darkly. "_What_?"

Sakura began to skip away, laughing brightly. She mocked a snobby English accent. "You're regal manner seems to fit you perfectly, my **queen**."

Sasuke angrily chased after her, down the rows of golden barley. He laughed to.

X

XX

X

It had been nearly five weeks since Sasuke had arrived in Leaf. Now it was spring season.

Over the course of his stay, he had unconsciously fallen into a routine. Weekday mornings were dedicated to solving the dispute between the three idiotic, quarreling clients (which he was able to end peacefully). Afterwards, he would have lunch with either Naruto and Kiba or Shikamaru, the local sheep herder. By noon, Sasuke would find himself lost within the wheat fields, looking for the pink-haired milk maiden.

Sakura and he would walk for hours, talking, laughing, and even eating her fresh strawberries. She'd said that there was a strawberry patch she tended to away from the town. He'd never seen it.

But that night… was different.

It was his last evening strolling the rows of grain, talking with the only person who he'd felt so calm with. No matter how stressful they day, she'd always greet him with a kind smile and her sweet smell of fruit. He was… sad. Realizing that it was possibly the last time he'd be able to be with her made his stomach churn in a way that was completely different.

"So this is where you were Queenie." It was a familiar voice that he had grown to love.

"Sakura," he murmured. There was a rustling to his right, and he turned to see her sitting beside him.

Instead of meeting in the barley like usual, Sasuke had agreed to wait on top of Toad's hill. They would spend their last night together counting the stars.

"What a beautiful night, don't you think?" The moon was full, and it made Sakura's skin glow. **Luminous**, eerie, haunting…

He was utterly entranced.

"You're the milk maiden in the story, aren't you?"

She turned towards him and looked into his eyes. They were bright and burned him from within, scorching, spreading through his veins and marking themselves within his soul. His very being. Deep was the mark she left in him.

"Yes."

"And you had killed yourself, hadn't you?"

Slowly, she nodded.

He took her head gently into his hands and kissed her. Kissed her for every day she'd mourned her lost lover. Kissed her for every heartache she could have ever endure. Kissed her for every second he'd loved her.

This life and the last.

They broke apart, and Sasuke could feel the wetness of her tears as they dropped silently onto his wrists.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, crying tears of longing for his dearly beloved. "I'm so… so sorry."

Sakura smiled and touched his hands with her own. They were icy cold.

"Sasuke…"

The air became light. Sasuke's arms fell to his sides, no longer holding the women he yearned for, and he screamed her name in agony, desperate for her to stay. His fingers entangle in his hair as he let out strangled chokes, looking for her, even when he knew she was gone. A wave of loneliness washed over him, and he cursed. Sasuke stood and looked up at the night sky.

"**Sakura**!"

X

XX

X

"Mommy, what happened afterwards?" baby Sasuke asked his mother the next night.

Makoto wrapped his comforter around him tightly. "What do you mean sweetie?"

"I mean, wasn't anyone sad that the milk maid died? She must have had lots of friends if she was so nice."

The woman smiled and planted a kiss on her son's head.

"Yes she did. Everyone cried at her funeral. Even the heavens. They say that at her burial, a storm had come out of nowhere. **Thunder**, lightning, rain. It was a mess. But you know who cried the hardest?"

"Who Mommy?"

She grinned mysteriously and turned off the lights.

"The blacksmith's apprentice."


End file.
